Human Beings or Human Brands?

Recently I've begun to have this eerie realization that brands in the marketplace and individuals in society are actually not that different. Here are some reasons why I think technology is making this connection even more of a reality.


1. The proliferation of mass communication , global connectivity, coming together of large numbers of distinct communities now means that everyone has more contact with the broad and diverse spectrum of humanity- more so than ever before, in a more socially connected way than ever before.

2. This “market saturation” has created competition among individuals for uniqueness, specific roles.

3. Competition has forced people to specialize and seek social distinctiveness in any way possible. Now we need to occupy a niche to survive, be noticed, succeed in society.

4. So we position ourselves just like brands do in order to get noticed or be successful or be unique.

You can see this phenomenon in the area of careers. As more and more people earned a college education, more and more qualified individuals entered the job market. As a result, in order to get a job in today’s crowded marketplace, individuals have to be increasingly specialized and fulfill a specific niche role. This is the exact same phenomenon that occurs with brands.

I worry about the implications of individuals becoming, in essence, merely human brands. Will we become so focused on filling a certain niche that we fail to appreciate the full scope and wonder of the human experience? Will we focus ourselves into one area of life, surround ourselves with only certain types of people, reinforce within ourselves one personality type, to the extent that we miss out on the diversity and complexity of human life? Brands can’t be more than one thing. If they try to promise too much they will lose credibility or distinctiveness. If they try to advertise multiple benefits they will lose that one, unique position in the minds of audiences. The key to a brand’s survival is a simple consistent position. Brands can’t be complex. Otherwise they will confuse audiences. But humans? Humans are complex. We are one thing one day and another thing another day. We are multi-dimensional, not one-dimensional. We are a mixed bag of emotions, personalities, experiences. We don’t fit neatly into a packaged box. And we are always changing, evolving, reinventing.

I think there is a real danger in this increasing social pressure to establish your position as an individual. Perhaps it means we miss out on ever truly discovering who we are because we do not feel free to explore. Perhaps it means we miss out on interacting with diverse groups of people because we feel the need to align ourselves with a specific group or type of people. Perhaps we lose our sense of humanity, in all of its complexity, because we are too caught up in trying to occupy a distinct position.

Alternate Realities

Have you ever heard of an alternate reality game? These promotional tools have been gaining popularity over the past few years and are an exciting new outlet to build a brand's image or communicate a message. ARGs, as they are commonly referred to, are basically fictional storylines that attempt to engage audiences in the story by allowing them to follow and interact in online and offline settings. They usually involve some kind of a mystery to solve or a treasure to find or a mission to accomplish. It's sort of like a treasure hunt in an online-off-line blend. Clues and hints are leaked through various media outlets that audiences can seek out and follow to continue participating in the developing story. A website is usually the central point of access to the ARG. One example of a hugely successful ARG was the "Why So Serious" promo that invited users to become part of the alternate reality of the Batman story. The ARG included a website, whysoserious.com, and spread through viral videos, t-shirts and a variety of other media. The Lost Ring, an ARG sponsored by McDonald's and launched at the start of 2008 to promote the 08 Summer Olympics, is another example of an ARG. (www.thelostring.com)It was incredibly successful and attracted followers from across the globe. The lure of these games is obvious. Everyone wants to be a part of an adventure that involves mystery and discovery. We love following clues to uncover some kind of answer. ARG's tap into this innate desire and create a world that allows people to escape into an exciting new world. Another appeal is the blending of fiction and reality. Large numbers of participants from all over the world come together to engage, which can create a very real sense of community. When you feel like you are in on a secret that not very many people know about, it is exciting when you see others who are following as well. It creates this immediate connection with people because you feel like you are engaging in a story with them that is bigger than everyday life.

So what does this mean for advertisers? Well, it's an amazing opportunity to promote an idea or a brand if it is done right. Increasingly brands and organizations are looking for ways to engage and connect with audiences on an interactive level. The new model of marketing is to pull active audiences into your message rather than pushing messages at a passive audience. You can't get anymore engaged and interactive than ARG's. And the result is a loyalty and goodwill towards your brand or organization that you simply can't accomplish with paid advertising. Younger audiences, especially will be attracted to novelty of ARG's.

Oh, online programming

Check out these sites to get an idea of how online programming is creating a rich outlet for advertisers to do some interesting things. It's intriguing to see the different approaches these sites are using when it comes to presenting advertising alongside content.


discovery.com
nbc.com
abc.com
espn360.com

4th Screen

This is a brilliant example of how a brand can grab hold of one simple idea and take ownership of a position. The idea: Connect. You can see in this video how the message, Nokia connects people, informed the creative and led to an inspiring ad that resonates with audiences. Watch and be inspired.

When I grow up...

Find more videos like this on Kansas City Advertising Exchange


This is a pretty great ad that might be lost on non-agency minds. Is it sad that this is not that far from the way I find myself thinking sometimes? The ad really makes you question yourself and say, how did I go from wanting to be an astronaut or an explorer or a pro athlete to this? Oh, the lure of the advertising world. Maybe its the desire to be at the cutting edge of creativity and technology that drives us. Maybe it is the longing to do something truly great and be noticed. Maybe it is rebellion against boredom and menial jobs that don't challenge. Maybe it is that we are constantly on the run, trying to keep up with the world around us and we never stop to ask why. Or maybe we just love advertising. Being an expert. Helping people grow and get their word out. Creating something that actually makes an impact or a difference.